Santa Barbara, Calif. - The UIC softball team fell behind early on Friday morning and couldn't claw its way back, dropping its season-opener, 5-0, to host UC-Santa Barbara in the first game of the 3rd Annual UCSB Early Bird Tournament.

The Gauchos plated a trio of runs in the bottom of the first inning off Flames starter and eventual losing pitcher Alison Aguilar (0-1), with an RBI single and a two-run homer. They would add another in the bottom of the second inning, before tallying their final run in the last of the sixth off reliever Alycia Creese.

The Flames offense did manage seven hits versus UCSB, but was unable to put a rally together.

UIC's best scoring threat came in the top of the fifth inning when back-to-back singles and a throwing error put runners on second and third with nobody out. That is as far as the runners would advance, though, as the next three Flame batters struck out.